Yachting NZ announces 2012 Sailor of the Year line up

Yachting New Zealand has announced the line up of nominees for the 2012 Sailor of the Year awards.

The list includes 2012 Performance, Service and Cruising Award Winners, the winner of the Emerging Talent Award and a short-list of finalists for both the Young Sailor of the Year and the Coach/Official of the Year.

Aaron Mcintosh (left) with Dorian van Rijsselberge after the 2011 World Champion won the 2012 Olympic Gold Medal in Weymouth

A surprise omission from the Coach of the Year category is Aaron McIntosh who coached Olympic Gold Medalist and 2011 World Champion, Dorian van Rijsselberge. McIntosh was also running a joint coaching program with van Rijsselberge and JP Tobin, who narrowly won selection for New Zealand ahead of 2008 Olympic Gold Medalist Tom Ashley. After the selections were announced the programs had to be split and top Windsurfing coach Grant Beck worked with Tobin through the the 2012 Olympics. SoY selection criteria only require that a nominee be a member of a New Zealand club.

Previous winners of the Sailor of the Year award include Brad Jackson and Stu Bannatyne who sailed in the 2008/09 Volvo Ocean Race aboard boats that were not New Zealand entries.

The 2012 Orbit Corporate Travel Sailor of the Year can come from any Award Category and is decided by a panel of judges. This year’s winner/s will be named at the 2012 Yacht Excellence Awards gala dinner and presented the stunning Sir Bernard Fergusson Trophy.

Along with the major reveal of Orbit Corporate Travel Sailor of the Year, other announcements at the Gala Dinner ceremony on the evening of Friday 23rd November will include the winners of 2012 Young Sailor of the Year and Coach/Official of the Year Categories. The Yachting New Zealand President’s Award recognises the work done by a yacht club, individual or organisation in promoting, supporting or developing the interests of yachting in New Zealand.

Ten Performance Awards, ten Service Award s and one Cruising Award will be presented, and the certificate for Emerging Talent Award presented to winner Isaac McHardie of the Hamilton Yacht Club.

The winners of the categories are expected to be dominated by 2012 Olympic sailors and coaches. Awardees and finalists named today are…

Marcus Hansen and Josh Probeski (NZL)were the best performed of the NZL competitors on the opening day of the sixth round of the ISAF World Cup at Weymouth.

Nikola Sisko

Yachting New Zealand Young Sailor of the Year Finalists

Ellie Copeland and Erica Dawson - fifth at the 2012 ISAF Youth World Championships (Female 420)
Marcus Hansen and Josh Porebski – sixth at the 2012 49er World Championships
Gemma Jones and Tomer Simhony – fifth at the 2012 ISAF Youth World Championships (SL16)
Andrew McKenzie – second at the 2012 Laser Radial Youth World Championships
Trent Rippey and Alex Munro - – National and international success in the 29er class
James Turner – Second place at the 2012 470 Junior World Championships

Shane Borrell – Umpire for Women’s Match Racing at the 2012 London Olympic Games
Jez Fanstone – Coached Peter Burling and Blair Tuke to Olympic Silver
Russell Green - A Judge at the 2012 London Olympic Games
Nathan Handley – Coached Jo Aleh and Olivia Powrie to Olympic Gold
John Parrish – Race Officer for the Laser and Laser Radial at the 2012 London Olympic Games
Ralph Roberts – Chairman of the Jury at the 2012 London Paralympic Games
David Slyfield – Performance planner to New Zealand’s Olympic sailing medallists
Sara Winther – Coach to New Zealand’s most successful Laser Masters Worlds Team ever

Tanner Cup Champion for two consecutive years running (2011 and 2012) Isaac McHardie from the Hamilton Yacht Club started his sailing career with a learn to sail course in 2007. His talent was revealed quickly rising to National Champion of the Optimist Green fleet in 2009, earning his billing as the most successful junior sailor from the Club in its 75 year history.

Departing Opua in June 2007 Kerikeri Cruising Club member, Kerry Farrand guided skippered his 50 foot Beneteau Irene on a five year global sailing adventure arriving back in to the very same port in May this year. Accompanied along the way by wife Kirsten, sons Bradley and Nick, other family members and fellow Club comrades his journey covered the Pacific Ocean, South China Sea, Caribbean, Atlantic, Mediterranean and Adriatic Oceans, as well as the Suez and Panama Canals.

The Yachting Excellence Awards will be held at the Royal New Zealand Yacht Squadron, Westhaven, Auckland on Friday 23rd November, with more details to come about some exciting lead-up activities planned for Friday afternoon. Tickets to the Gala Dinner cost $120 per person and will be available to purchase from the Yachting New Zealand website.